Forbes magazine has put together a list of America’s most stressful cities and as a product of Chicago, the winner of the dubious distinction of being America’s most stressful city, I have this to say: “Yeah, so? Shut up and let me eat my hot dog in peace for once, goddamn it. No, I’m not yelling. Why are you always saying that I’m yelling? It’s not like you never yell! Pass the sport peppers before this gets ugly.”
unemployment
Unemployment Seeps To 5.7%
By 8.1.08
The light in the American economy grew murkier in July. Real wages remain stuck in a fetid mire, up only 2.8% from a year ago, while methanous pockets of inflation bubble floated above to 5%. Rubbing up against declining consumer spending, the economy shed 51,000 jobs in July. The unemployment rate slinked up to 5.7%, a four-year high. However, that was 24,000 fewer jobs slithering away than economists, licking their lips and blinking their eyes, expected.
10 Lies You Really Shouldn't Try On Your Next Resume
By 7.30.08
Hey lazy! Are you still looking for a job? Maybe you’re thinking about “embellishing” your work history a little more, then. However, according to CareerBuilder you should be careful, because “49 percent of hiring managers reported they caught a candidate lying on their resume,” usually about things like responsibilities and skills. If you feel lucky, go for it, but there are certain Really Big Lies you probably shouldn’t try.
7 Scam Warnings For Online Job Hunters
By 7.21.08
According to legends we’ve heard, it’s possible to find a job by searching online. Flimflammers are also looking for you, looking to defraud job seekers. The BBB has 7 red flags to should watch out for that could indicate that job opportunity is just a scam.
7 Steps To Developing A Strong Network In Case You Get Fired
By 7.17.08
Financial blogger Brandt Smith at Get Rich Slowly suggests that your first step should be to contact your network, and he backs up his assertion with a real-life success story. He also shares seven keys to developing a strong network:
The 20 Best And Worst Cities For Unemployment Benefits
By 7.6.08
Losing a job is bad enough, but your unemployment benefits can vary wildly depending on where you live. The L.A. Times compared unemployment benefits to the cost of living and picked the twenty best and worst cities to be unemployed.
Ask For A Raise At The Right Time
By 6.27.08
Personal finance blog Free Money Finance suggests that employees can improve their incomes by asking for a raise, but you have to make sure to time it right.
8 Things You Shouldn't Say In A Job Interview
By 6.25.08
Most of us know that looking for a job can be a job in itself, but there are few things in life more dreaded than the job interview. Even if you remember to spit out your gum and offer a firm and confident handshake, there is a myriad of conversational land-mines which must be avoided. CNN in partnership with CareerBuilder has assembled 8 things that you shouldn’t say during a job interview. The list, inside…
U.S. Airways Refunds $2200 Tickets For Recently Unemployed Man
By 6.23.08
Travel expert Christopher Elliott says US Airways refunded a couple $2200 on a pair of nonrefundable tickets to Ireland after the wife wrote to the COO and explained their situation. They tried Expedia first and were refused, and although they had travel insurance it wouldn’t cover unemployment. The wife, Jennifer Bush, says the US Airways rep who responded to their plea “told me that they all felt for my situation and decided to refund the amount of the airfare.”
Five Sites That Will Help You Recession-Proof Your Life
By 6.16.08
Although we are not technically in a recession, it’s starting to feel like one. As gas prices and unemployment continue to rise, we’ve rounded up a collection of useful advice for the current period of economic austerity.
Four Ways To Make The Most Of Unemployment
By 6.13.08
With unemployment rising to 5.5%, more Americans are finding themselves with more time to catch up on their daytime TV or put in some serious time on World of Warcraft. Others see unemployment as an opportunity to begin a new career, take a mini retirement, invest in yourself, or find other sources of income. Their perspectives, inside.
10 Jobs That Pay $20 An Hour
By 6.12.08
The nation’s unemployment rate has reached 5.5%, a half-percent increase from last month, which is the largest increase in 2 decades. If you are “between gigs” or simply looking to upgrade, CNN Money in partnership with Careerbuilder, has put together a list of 10 jobs that pay $20 an hour or more. Check out the list, inside…
17 Signs You May Be Out Of A Job Soon
By 4.29.08
If you’re still on the fence about whether to spend your stimulus check, pay off debt with it, or stock up on ramen noodles, this checklist may help you decide. Some of the tips are pretty unnecessary—”your job duties are marginalized” and “your company plans to move to a smaller building” shouldn’t be hard to decipher. It never hurts to remind yourself about some of the signs of an impending downsize, however.
Allen & Associates Promises Professional Career Help, Delivers Questionable Results
By 2.13.08
Jeff sent us the following story of how Allen & Associates, a subsidiary of Workstream, Inc., sold him a comprehensive job-placement service package last fall, then short-changed him on the actual services.
AOL: “You’re Fired For Doing Your Job. The Lawyers Were Listening.”
By 8.9.06
This site, when it all comes down to it, features the CSR as protagonist. Sometimes he’s the hero, bending company bureaucracy, flouting his own training because he feels sympathy. More often, he’s the anti-hero, speaking in circles and thwarting any attempt to get satisfaction from a customer. But it’s all about the CSR.
Highway Beggars Interviewed About Dream Jobs
By 2.2.06
This is only linked by the ostensibility of a magic conceptual rainbow to the sort of stories Consumerist usually posts about, but it is interesting enough that we’re going to post it anyway. City Pages has a fascinating Q&A with freeway exit ramp beggars, asking them the following questions: What’s the best job you ever had? What’s the worst job you ever had? What’s the last job you had? What’s your dream job?
